MAROONDAH HEALTH AND WELLBEING PLAN
2017-2021
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Contents
1. Acknowledgement
2. Executive summary
3. Municipal health and wellbeing planning
3.1 What is the Maroondah Health and Wellbeing Plan
3.2 Role of local government in health and wellbeing planning
3.3 Maroondah Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017 – 2021 Vision, Goal, Principles, and Outcome areas
4. Frameworks for development
4.1 Social model of health
4.2 Environments of health
4.3 Population health
4.4 Health promotion and prevention
4.5Social capital and equity
4.6 Liveability
5. Strategic context
5.1 Wider strategic context
5.1.1Maroondah City of Wellbeing project - informed by Positive Psychology
5.2 Internal context
5.3 Maroondah profile
6. Development process
6.1Development and evaluation
6.2 Maroondah Partners in Community Wellbeing Committee
6.3 Consultation program
6.4 Research and evidence base
6.5 Action plan
7. Key findings
7.1Key findings consultation program
7.2 Key findings municipal scan
8. Priorities
8.1Identified priorities
8.2Shared priority matrix
8.3Maroondah Partners in Community Wellbeing Committee actions
9. Action plan
9.1Outcome areas and focus areas
9.2Outcome 1. Healthy and well
9.3Outcome 2. Safe and secure
9.4Outcome 3. Capacity to participate
9.5Outcome 4. Connected to culture and community
9.6Outcome 5. Liveable
10. Implementation and evaluation
11. Acronyms
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1. Acknowledgement
Council would like to acknowledge the collaborative efforts of the Maroondah Partners in Community Wellbeing Committee in the development of the Maroondah Health and Wellbeing Plan (MHWP) 2017 – 2021.
Council looks forward to the ongoing collaboration with the Committee throughout the implementation and evaluation of the MHWP 2017-2021.
Maroondah Partners in Community Wellbeing Committee members:
Bill Wilkins / Community Representative (Chair)Cr. Samantha Marks / Maroondah City Council
Cr. Marijke Graham / Maroondah City Council
Grant Meyer / Maroondah City Council
Noelene Greene / Maroondah City Council
Bridget Ruff / Maroondah City Council
Christine Farnan / Department of Health& Human Services
Danika Gasparini / Eastern Melbourne PHN
Fiona Purcell / Outer East Local Learning & Employment Network
Jennifer Small / Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Jess Pendlebury / Eastern Melbourne PHN
Jaime Edge / Outer East Primary Care Partnership
Laura Newstead / Outer East Primary Care Partnership
Maggie Palmer / EACH Social and Community Health
Maidie Graham / Uniting Wesley
Mervat Dahdoule / Migrant Information Centre
Sue Rosenhain / Women’s Health East
Vanessa Czerniawski / Women’s Health East
Vivienne Cunningham-Smith / Eastern Volunteers
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2. Executive summary
The Maroondah Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021 (MHWP) is a strategic plan that describes how Council and partners will work towards achieving maximum health and wellbeing for our community over the next four years.
The MHWP 2017-2021 has been developed on a solid evidence base established using stakeholder consultation, statistical analysis of current health and wellbeing indicators and outcomes and with regard to the wider strategic environment that impacts upon both individual and community level health and wellbeing.
Maroondah enjoys a good level of subjective wellbeing, consistent with ratings across both the Eastern Metropolitan Region (EMR) and Victoria. Maroondah’s life expectancy for both females and males is higher than the Victorian average and Maroondah is below both the Victorian and Greater Melbourne rates in a number of avoidable mortality fields.
However, there are many areas in which Council and the wider service system can direct efforts in order to maximise beneficial health and wellbeing outcomes and work to address inequalities.
Our Maroondah 2040 Community Vision is to be a vibrant and diverse city with a healthy and active community, living in green & leafy neighbourhoods which are connected to thriving and accessible activity centres contributing to a prosperous economy within a safe, inclusive and sustainable environment.
The actions contained with the MHWP are designed to work towards achieving this vision and have been captured across 5 outcome areas and 8 focus areas as follows:
2040 Outcome Area / MHWP Outcome Areas / Focus AreasSafe Healthy & Active / Healthy & Well / Alcohol, Other Drugs & Tobacco
Mental, Physical & Sexual Health
Safe Healthy & Active / Safe & Secure / Social & Affordable Housing
Prevention of Violence Against Women (PVAW), Gender Equity & Elder Abuse
Gambling
Prosperous & Learning
Well Governed & Empowered / Capacity to Participate / Education, Lifelong Learning & Employment
Inclusive & Diverse
Vibrant & Culturally Rich / Connected to Culture & Community / Inclusivity, Diversity & Access
Accessible & Connected
Clean, Green & Sustainable
Attractive Thriving & Well Built / Liveable / Environment, Climate Change & Infrastructure
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3. Municipal health and wellbeing planning
3.1What is the Maroondah Health and Wellbeing Plan
The Maroondah Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021 (MHWP) is a strategic plan that describes how Council and partners will work towards achieving maximum health and wellbeing for our community over the next four years. It describes our vision, goal, outcome domains and objectives for health and wellbeing and who we will be partnering with to enhance Maroondah’s liveability, sustainability, inclusiveness, safety, connectivity and prosperity.
The Maroondah Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021 is also a statutory plan that is prepared in condition with the requirements set out in the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. This Act requires Council to prepare a community health and wellbeing plan every four years, within 12 months of general council elections. The Act requires that the plan must:
- Include an examination of the data about health status and health determinants in the municipal district.
- Identify goals and strategies based on evidence for creating a local community in which people can achieve maximum health.
- Provide for involvement of people in the local community in the development, implementation and evaluation of the public health plan.
- Specify how Council will work in partnership with the Department of Health and other agencies undertaking public health initiatives, projects, and programs to achieve the goals identified in the plan.
- Be consistent with the Council Plan and the Municipal Strategic Statement.
Definition of Health
“Health is the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human without distinction of race, religion, political belief or economic and social condition”
(WHO Constitution, 1947)
Definition of Community Wellbeing
Community wellbeing is the combination of social, economic, environmental, cultural, and political conditions identified by individuals and their communities as essential for them to flourish and fulfill their potential.”
(Wiseman and Brasher, 2008)
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3.2Role of local government in health and wellbeing planning
Local government plays a significant role in safeguarding and enhancing health and wellbeing through the dimensions of people, place and process.
Traditionally local governments have taken responsibility for delivering services such as immunisation, early years and childcare services, youth and aged care services; regulating behaviour in public places and the handling of food; providing community transport; disposing of waste and maintaining our public places and spaces.
These roles are now far more dynamic and integrated and require Council to work collaboratively with other agencies and healthcare providers to collectively work to address, through a range of approaches, the social determinants of health that shape health outcomes at both individual and community levels.
Through integrated planning and strategies, efficient governance and effective partnershiparrangements, local government can work to address inequities in social capital, build capacity and enhance the liveability of a municipality, which in turn has long term beneficial population health and wellbeing outcomes.
In accordance with the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008, the function of councils, in regards to health and wellbeing, is to seek to protect, improve and promote public health and wellbeing within a municipality by:
• creating an environment which supports the health of members of the local community and strengthens the capacity of the community and individuals to achieve better health
• initiating, supporting and managing public health planning processes at the local government level
• developing and implementing public health policies and programs within the municipal district
• developing and enforcing up-to-date public health standards and intervening if the health of people within the municipal district is affected
• facilitating and supporting local agencies whose work has an impact on public health and wellbeing to improve public health and wellbeing in the local community
• coordinating and providing immunisation services to children living or being educated within the municipal district
• ensuring that the municipal district is maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.
Source: Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic), s. 24.
Insert pic – skate park shot from pg 8 Our Achievements
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3.3Maroondah Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017 – 2021Vision, Goal, Principles, and Outcomeareas
4. Frameworks for development
Throughout the development of the MHWP 2017-2021 a number of health frameworks have been drawn upon, these include:
4.1Social model of health
The socialmodel of health attempts to address the broader influences on health (social, cultural, environmental and economic factors) rather than disease and injury. It focuses on policies, education and health promotion. The five key principles of the social model of health are that it:
- Addresses the broader determinants of health
- Involves inter-sectoral collaboration
- Acts to reduce social inequities
- Empowers individuals and communities
- Acts to enable access to health care
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4.2Environments of health
The Department of Health has an Environments of Health Framework (2011) which aligns with the Social Model of Health and is the conceptual framework that underpins a systems approach to public health
planning. The framework highlights that health and wellbeing is affected by factors originating across any or all of four environmental dimensions[1].
The table below notes determinants across each of the four environments that can be addressed to help shape health and wellbeing outcomes
Source: Department of Health, Environments for Health: Municipal Public Health Planning Framework
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4.3Population health
Population health planning aims to improve the health and wellbeing of whole populations, and to reduce inequities between specific population groups, addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged. It takes into account the environmental, economic, political, social, cultural and behavioural factors that contribute to the health and wellbeing of communities and populations. Population health planning is grounded in effective and meaningful community, inter-sectoral and whole-of-government partnership.[2]
4.4Health promotion and prevention
The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986) defines health promotion as ’the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, an individual or group must be able to identify and to realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment’ (WHO, 1986). [3]
The MHWP draws upon the following components of health promotion and preventative health measures: advocacy, education, reducing inequity and risks, increasing capacity, collective responsibility and responsiveness to local need and strengths.
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4.5Social capital and equity
Social determinants such as socioeconomic status have long been well understood to have significant impacts on an individual’s health status – the lower the socio-economic
status the worse the health status (Marmot 1999).
However, evidence has accumulated over the past 30 years showing that social factors
such as social networks and social support, often referred to as ‘social capital’, also have
significant impacts on an individual’s health status (Kawachi, Subramanian et al. 2008).
The MHWP utilizes evidence available in relation to the correlation between inequalities in social capital translating to inequalities in health and wellbeing, to inform its development process and subsequent action plan.[4]
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4.6Liveability
There is a close connection between the concepts of liveability and the social determinants of health. The concepts of healthy communities and liveability are inextricably linked, so the determinants of health and liveability are similar.[5]
The diagram below highlights the intersect required between the environments for health to foster a liveable city.
Source: Healthy Cities and Liveability Presentation, Department Health and Human Services, Dr. Iain Butterworth, 2017
Definition of LiveabilityA liveable place is “safe, attractive, socially cohesive and inclusive, and environmentally sustainable; with affordable and diverse housing linked to employment, education, public open space, local shops, health and community services, and leisure and cultural opportunities; via convenient public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure to employment, education, public open space, local shops, health and community services, and leisure and cultural opportunites”
(Lowe et all, 2013)
The seven domains of liveability are:
- Employment
- Food
- Housing
- Public Open Space
- Transport
- Walkability
- Social infrastructure
The diagram below depicts how the application of a liveability lens talks directly to population health and wellbeing outcomes.
Source: Healthy Cities and Liveability Presentation, Department Health and Human Services, Dr. Iain Butterworth, 2017. University of Melbourne, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy Liveable Communities
‘Sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ are also concepts that are closely aligned with health and liveability. The most well-known definition of sustainable development is that proposed in the 1987 Brundtland Report: “…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” [49, p.37]. Broad notions of sustainable development incorporate the three pillars of social, economic and environmental sustainability, and are concerned with human wellbeing and the future of life and society [50]. It is this broad notion of sustainable development that overlaps with many of the determinants of health and liveability.[6]
Within the MHWP sustainable development and climate change adaptation and mitigation are addressed within the liveability domain of the action plan.
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5. Strategic context
5.1Wider strategic context
To ensure a coordinated approach to and alignment of goals and strategies for helping to achieve maximum health and wellbeing, it is expected that Council and the wider service system plan and work collaboratively.
Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plans (MPHWPs) are a legislated requirement and provide the ‘line of sight’ between local and state policy.
Council’s MHWP references and aligns with the following key external documents including the:
United Nations, New Urban Agenda: Key Commitments, 2016Public Health and Wellbeing Act, 2008
The Victorian public health and wellbeing plan 2015-2019
Victorian public health and wellbeing outcomes framework
Health 2040: Advancing health, access and care
Ending Family Violence: Victoria’s Plan for Change, including the family violence prevention strategy
Roadmap for Reform: strong families, safe children
Victoria’s 10-year mental health plan and Victorian Suicide Prevention
Safe and Strong – Victoria’s Gender Equality Strategy
Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2017-2020
Education State: Schools
Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing Framework
Community Resilience Framework for Emergency Management, 2017
Additionally, the MHWP has sought to identify shared priorities with key health and wellbeing partners across the municipality, MHWP Section 9. Priorities, contains the shared priority details.
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5.1.1Maroondah City of Wellbeing project - informed by Positive Psychology
It must be noted that all action items detailed within the MHWP 2017-2021 work towards enhancing health and wellbeing at either, or both, an individual and community level. One such example of this is the Maroondah City of Wellbeing project.
Council is committed to supporting Maroondah as a ‘City of Wellbeing’. This approach is based on the learnings of ‘positive psychology’, informed by Professor Martin Seligman, from the University of Pennsylvania. Seligman articulated an account of a ‘good life’, called PERMA (ie Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement).
Positive psychology aims to broaden the understanding of human functioning, rather than narrow it, and explores the full gamut of human experience in order to maximise human potential. Positive psychology turns its focus to the ‘average person’ exploring what goes well in life, and to appreciating and maximising human potential, motivation and capacity (Sheldon & King, 2001).
When introduced effectively, positive psychology provides strong scientific evidence about what works to improve well-being at both an individual and community level.
During 2013 and 2014 Council undertook a community visioning project to identify the most important priorities for the City of Maroondah over the next 25 years. ‘Wellbeing’ was identified as a major priority for all members of our community. In response to these discussions and the resulting Maroondah 2040: Our future together community vision, the Croydon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Melba College, Croydon Rotary Club, and Maroondah City Council, commenced a partnership to establish the ‘Maroondah City of Wellbeing’ project. A number of other partner organisations have since joined with a Steering Committee formed in 2015 to provide oversight and leadership.
Since then this partnership has expanded to incorporate a range of projects, all aimed at improving the wellbeing of the Maroondah community by applying the principles of positive psychology (eg Plus 10 Schools initiative, Positive Edge Journal – Universal Wellbeing Language).